Decontamination Assistant (Sterile services)

NHS Jobs; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Decontamination Assistant (Sterile services). The role involves inspecting instruments on receipt and throughout processing, dismantling, cleaning, reassembling, packaging, labelling, and ensuring compliance with legislation and service requirements to support patient safety.

You will perform quality checks, escalate decontamination concerns, review cycle data, and manage non-conforming devices to prevent release of unsafe items.

Responsibilities

• Inspect instruments and medical equipment on receipt into decontamination and during processing.
• Dismantle, clean, reassemble, and prepare instruments per manufacturers' instructions and procedures.
• Wrap, package, label and prepare instrument sets to legislation and service requirements.
• Maintaining knowledge of sterilisation and disinfection methods for safe reprocessing of reusable devices.
• Perform quality assurance checks to verify effective decontamination and safety for patient use.
• Identify and escalate concerns about decontamination effectiveness and document failures per procedures.
• Review cycle data before release and distribution of products.
• Use appropriate packaging materials and techniques to protect instruments during storage and transport.
• Follow procedures for non-conforming devices and quarantine unsuitable items after failed washer-disinfector or steriliser cycles.

Job description

Decontamination Assistant (Sterile services)

The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this vacancy; please review them for full details and responsibilities. Key duties include: Inspecting instruments and medical equipment upon receipt into the decontamination area and throughout the decontamination, storage, and distribution process, promptly reporting any damaged, defective, or missing items. Dismantling, cleaning, reassembling, and preparing instruments in accordance with manufacturers instructions and departmental procedures. Ensuring all instrument sets and supplementary items are correctly wrapped, packaged, labelled, and prepared in line with legislation, national guidance, and service requirements. Maintaining knowledge of sterilisation and disinfection methods and understanding the importance of product safety and liability in the reprocessing of reusable medical devices. Performing quality assurance checks to verify that instruments and devices have been effectively decontaminated and are safe for patient use. Identifying and escalating any concerns regarding the effectiveness of the decontamination process, reporting and documenting failures in accordance with departmental procedures. Reviewing and verifying process records and cycle data before products are approved for release and distribution. Using appropriate packaging materials and packing techniques to protect instruments and minimise the risk of damage during storage and transport. Following procedures for the management of non-conforming devices and equipment following failed washer-disinfector or steriliser cycles, ensuring unsuitable items are quarantined and not released for clinical use.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust